By Addis Getachew

ADDIS ABABA

Peace talks between South Sudan's warring rivals have broken down, with a round of talks in Addis Ababa that had been meant to be "final" concluding on Friday without result.

"I regret to inform you that the talks did not produce the necessary breakthrough," Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, chairman of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) regional grouping, which has been mediating the talks, said in a statement.

Government and rebel negotiators have held intensive talks since February 23 in the Ethiopian capital in a negotiating round dubbed "Phase III Final Session."

The round of talks was meant to end outstanding differences over the structure of a proposed transitional government, power sharing, the composition of South Sudan's National Assembly, and security arrangements.

In his statement, Desalegn said that although he and IGAD special envoys had entreated both sides to make the necessary concessions, "our pleas have not been heeded."

The Ethiopian leader, however, hinted at a fresh IGAD-mediated peace drive in which the African Union and the UN may take part.

"Don't lose hope," he said, addressing the people of South Sudan.

"The region and the world stand by you. Peace is our only priority. Peace will be achieved. You, the people of South Sudan, need – and deserve – no less," he asserted.

Desalegn's statement came one day after chief IGAD mediator Seyoum Mesfin told journalists that the two sides were still "far apart" in their stands regarding security arrangements and power sharing.

Although an additional day was given to clinch a final deal following the expiry of a March 5 deadline, the rival leaders still failed to conclude an agreement.

Leaving the negotiating venue at the UN Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, rebel leader Riek Machar said his camp was still ready to talk peace.

"The [Ethiopian] prime minister just told us that there would be another framework [for talks]," he said.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and more than 1.5 million displaced since the South Sudan conflict began in late 2013.

As a direct result of the fighting, some four million South Sudanese remain in need of relief assistance.

The African Union had earlier warned that failure to reach a final deal by March 5 could result in sanctions – including travel bans, asset freezes and arms embargoes – on both parties to the conflict.